ABC's MODERN FAMILY Scores Closest-Ever Finish With 'Empire' on Wednesday

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.9 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49): With its regular lineup returning from the prior week's preemption for the CMAs up against the return of Fox's "Empire" to the night, ABC finished a strong 2nd on Wednesday in Adults 18-49 (1.7/6), leading by double digits over CBS (+21% - 1.4/5) and NBC (+42% - 1.2/4). ABC's "Modern Family" was the No. 2 TV show to "Empire." In fact "Modern Family" delivered its closest-ever finish with "Empire" on the night, coming within 6-tenths of a rating point (2.3/7 vs. 2.9/9).

Season to date, ABC is up on Wednesday by 1.9 million viewers (11.2 million vs. 9.3 million) and by 10% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/11 vs. 2.9/10), marking its most watched start to the season on the night in 5 years - since the first 7 weeks of Fall 2011.

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Goldbergs" returned to rank No. 1 in the night's lead-off half-hour among Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), growing 11% over its last telecast 2 weeks ago to equal a season high and tie its top rating since March - since 3/2/16.

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's "Speechless" held even with its most recent airing in Adults 18-49 (1.7/6).

Spiking over its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+35%), ABC's "Modern Family" held even with its last telecast in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7).

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour against the conclusion of "Empire," ABC's "black-ish" took second and remained steady with 2 weeks ago among Adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.7/5).

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Designated Survivor" stood as the most watched series in the hour for its 6th straight broadcast (5.6 million) and held even with its most recent airing among L+SD Adults 18-49 (1.2/4). On average, "Designated Survivor" leads the season in Live + 7 Day TV Playback, spiking over its L+SD numbers by +7.4 million Total Viewers and by +2.0 rating points among Adults 18-49 (tie). On average in Adults 18-49 (3.6/13 - Most Current), "Designated Survivor" is ABC's top-rated series in Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour in 10 years - since "Lost" during the 2006-07 season.

Photo credit: ABC/Eddy Chen

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